Apple lobbyists threaten funding of historically black universities in Georgia over State App Fairness Bill

Apple has been fighting efforts by Epic and their partners to get state legislatures to pass laws that would force Apple and Google to open up their platforms to 3rd party stores.

So far that battle has been successful, and now some of the dirty tricks Apple used to win the battles have come to light.

Politico reports that in Georgia Apple threatened to pull $25 million in investment at a historically Black college and a potentially multibillion-dollar partnership with Kia to build autonomous vehicles in the state.

In Louisiana Apple lobbyists reportedly offered to invest significant resources in the state’s education system.

The Georgia bill eventually stalled in the state’s House Judiciary Committee while the legislator pushing the bill in Louisiana ultimately stood down.

Apple denied making the threats directly, reports Politico, but sources said they came from 3rd party lobbyists in their employ.

So far Apple has been successful in stopping any new laws from being passed, but similar legislation is being considered in Minnesota, New York, Illinois, and Hawaii and bipartisan bills are now in front of the U.S. House and Senate.  Given the way the tide is turning, it seems likely Apple will eventually have to concede the fight.

via AppleInsider